“Oh, that’s good. Are you close to Amy?” Morgan turned to face me. But Lynn was already shaking her head.
“No. I asked to come to this pack without realizing that Oakenfang was the pack her mother moved to.” Lynn’s eyes would meet mine, or my mother’s, for that matter. She was staring fully at Morgan. “Really?” Morgan tilted his head. “Then why did you seem so close to her when you two walked in?”Lynn smiled. “Beta, if you would have looked outside when we pulled up, I stood away from Alpha Amy and Beta Ronnie. I followed her inside since this was her home, and you were giving me a place to sleep while I explored the pack for my mate.” Lynn cut her eyes to me and there was thinly veiled hatred in them. “Alpha Amy has been as polite to me as I have been to her, but I wouldn’t say we are friends.” She looked back at Morgan. “I follow the protocol my Alpha cI left them all in the kitchen and retreated to my room. I closed the door and settled myself and Nix, finally shifting back to my normal face.I’m sorry I lost control in there. Nix sounded softer, almost embarrassed.“It’s okay.” I smiled as I flopped onto my bed. “They deserved it.” I chuckled softly as I thought of their surprised faces as they hit the ground.What you both just did will put them on the toes. They won’t think they can easily manoeuvre around you anymore because your wolf has manifested itself. Megan’s voice was confident as she chastised us. She knew that this would make our lives a little harder. You both should have held it together back there.I thought about it. “You’re right.” I admitted, and Nix nodded with me. “We should have behaved back there. It would have been easier to move in the shadows without them knowing I could shift. But we still have
I came back to my room and my mother was spraying the pile of clothes with a bottle of what I could only assume was descenting spray. There were two garbage bags by the door and she nodded to them. “Bring those to the trash. I’ll meet you downstairs in a minute.”“What are you doing?” I pointed to the pile of the clothes.“Covering our asses until we get back with more spray and finish washing everything.” She lifted her lip and continued spraying. She ended up cursing under her breath and unscrewed the lip and upending the bottle on my clothes. “Stupid thing would take forever.” She pointed to the garbage bags, and I lifted them and ran down the stairs. I ran to the trash and dumped the bags, then ran back.“I told you I would meet you downstairs.” My mom was using a soaked top to run some of the descenting spray all over my mattress.“I know, but I wanted to lock my door before
I let her words settle, and I knew she was right. Brandon would come for me if he was rejected, so I had to keep my distance until I figured out everything else out that I needed to so that my mom and I could leave. And I had to concede that she was also right about the strawberry shampoo. It had become my signature smell since grade school. So much so that Shannon used it, even though her wolf hated it.“You’re right.” I grabbed the bag and left my room. Once my mom came outside, I locked the door and we headed to the garage. “You will help me find a smell my wolf likes?”“Of course.” She nodded as I tossed out the bag of toiletries. “Amy, I was wondering. Has there been anything weird about Nix you wanted to talk about?” I froze for a second, but shook it off.For a second, it sounded like my mother knew about Megan, but that was impossible. It had to be. “Like what?”“Well, she is ve
Bingo. I wanted to roll my eyes. He used it weekly after the big pack meetings he threw together. But I needed him to offer it up, otherwise he would see it as a red flag and focus on me. “A company?” My mother huffed another breath. Just a mom trying to deal with her insufferable daughter. “For what?”“They have perfected cleaning carpets so that unwanted scents don’t linger.” He snapped his eyes to my mother and then back to me. “I know how it feels to have an alpha wolf who is territorial. It’s not Amy’s fault Ainsley.”I smiled and turned to look at my mother. “I told you.” I pouted. “You kept saying it was too much. That Shannon was my sister and I should just get over it.”“Well, she is.” My mother pointed out, but I let out another growl.“She is an unranked wolf who used my belongings to trick the alpha’s son into dating her.&rdquo
“Thank you.” I smiled as we walked out of yet another store. I was exhausted, but we still had more stops to make. I looked at everything in my hands: my new sheets, blankets, pillows. Everything we threw away, we had replaced. Except for my bed. “I’m tired, my head hurts, and I’m-”“Whining.” My mom finished. But she smiled. “We just need to get you a new mattress and get the old one hauled away.”“Plus, finish the laundry and get the carpets cleaned.” I pointed out. She closed her eyes.“I forgot.” She stretched out her back and tied her hair up. “Now, let’s finish this part up. I still need to fix dinner.”“Why don’t we just order food? Morgan and Shannon will survive a day of take out.” My mom rolled her eyes and I watched as she bobbed her head back and forth. Then she decided.“Fine. You’re right.” She ga
That stopped me for a minute. I looked back at my mother and she smiled. “Carl here, is what you would call a nomad. He was a part of my father’s pack, but trailed with me to your fathers, and then to here. He refused to swear fealty to Vince. So he stays off pack lands. He set up shop here, and since he is one of the few warriors skilled enough to make descenting spray, Vince tolerates him.” My mother went over to Carl and kissed his cheek.“Always a pleasure to see my Luna.”“Oh, so he meant he follows you.” I bounced my finger between the two and my mom looked up at Carl, who also gave a tiny nod.“Yes, and no. Carl here is also a shaman.”“A what?”“A shaman.” My mother held out her hand and I walked over to them. “Your father had his grandmother’s help with his pack.” She stared at me. “My father had Carl.” I could see it in her eyes. She was asking me to understand.“Shamans are like grandmother?” I tilted my head and Carl laughed.“Yes, and no.” This time it was him. “We are bl
I turned back to the spill and picked up the broken plastic bottle. I tossed it in the trash I saw and mopped up the spray. “You work here?” Brandon’s voice was incredulous.“Not really. Carl is my mom’s friend. We came here for descenting spray. But Carl asked my mom about a contact back in her dad’s old pack and then they took off. Asking me to watch the store.” I smiled as I lied through my teeth.“We didn’t see them leave.” Vince turned around and silenced Brandon with a look.“Well…I didn’t realize you were watching.” I laughed as I stared at them and I saw Brandon’s wince. “They went out the back, since that’s where Carl’s truck is. My mom rode here with me, but Carl will give her a ride back here and we will go home.”“Do you know where they went?” Vince shopped, and I made my way to the counter. I prayed I was going to be able to work the cash register.“They said they were going down the road for ingredients, but that they might have to go all the way to my grandpa’s pack for
Vince walked up to the counter with a few things. “Now, now, Brandon might have gone about talking to you in the wrong way, but he only had good intentions.” He put everything on the counter.“Yeah. I heard what his intentions were through the wall most nights.” I snorted my laugh. “I can appreciate the effort. Really, I can. But I have a rule. I don’t date someone a friend or family member has dated.” I met Brandon’s eyes. “I sure as heck won’t sleep with the same men.”I watched as he deflated. “What? You can’t be serious…” He looked at his dad. I could see the disbelief on both their faces.“What are you saying here, Amy?” Vince tapped a finger on the countertop. “That you would only be with a virgin man?” His laugh was annoying. “If that is a requirement, I think you will be alone for your entire life.” Brandon chuckled.I
I wanted to vomit. Smile. Megan pushed closer. Smile and accept his kind stupid offer, so we can get close.I turned my focus from the letter in my hands and focused on my wolf, who was becoming more aggressive by the moment. What the hell does he mean you rejected him? I screamed at her. I thought we waited. When did this happen? I looked for Nix. Megan glared back at me, still defiant. It was one time Nina came over to mess with us. I saw an opportunity, and I took it. I just left you out of it so that you could focus on more important things.Like, what about Megan? What could be more important that my wolf rejecting her mate?Nix came running out of the trees and skidded to a stop between us. You lied to us. She sounded hurt, as hurt as I felt. We could have been there for you. We should have been, but you kept this from us. And you kept it a secret until now…why? We have come so far this past year together, and you still kept us out. I felt like the wind had been knocked out o
“None of this.” Toya pulled back. “No tears.” She wiped her own face. “We won’t be stuck on our pack lands. We can visit. And there will be video chats, and movie nights, and-”“And we will make sure we make time for each other.” Wendy finished. I was still in awe of her transformation through the years. She had become so strong. “Yes. Yes, we will.” Hanna beamed. It was my turn to look at her, and I was shot back to the very first time I met her. A tiny little thing terrified in the bathroom. I chuckled as I looked around. “We have come so far these years.” I wiped my eyes. “You all have become so strong. Completely different people. Micca, you have completely flourished into your rank, you have become a very strong beta, and I wouldn’t be surprised if you became a Luna for some pack. Same with you, Toya. You have grown so strong these last few years.” The two beamed. “It’s all because of you.” Toya bumped into me.I shook my head. “You guys didn’t have to train. You wanted to and
We walked out of my apartment together, and I glanced at the next door. Rowan had disappeared after my heat, and I left him be. We both had things to focus on and I think we both realized that we were just distracting each other from what was important.Toya caught my eye. She glanced at his door and then looked back at me with sad eyes. “Do you regret it?”I snapped to her and lifted my brow. “Regret what?”Toya bobbed her head to the sides. “Rowan…the bullshit…”“Staying an extra year just to graduate with us.” Wendy cut in and Touya pointed to her. “That too.”I shook my head. “No.” I waved my hands and gave a tiny chuckle. “I didn’t have time for the bullshit, and Rowan and I…well, we both had more important things to focus on.”“You could have graduated early.” Hanna pointed out. “But you stayed.”“We are supposed to graduate together, plus the extra courses were amazing.” I smiled and put my arm around her. “How could I leave you alone?”Micca laughed. “You’re not our mom.” “I
Almost one and a half years later…“Are you ready?” Wendy bounced on her toes. Her long hair shining in the curls that we painstakingly styled this morning. She looked gorgeous in her pale pink dress. The black grad dress hung open around her shoulders as she finished her makeup. I looked around at everyone in my living room and I couldn’t stop the smile. “You guys look amazing.” And they did. Micca’s red hair was braided over her shoulder, her graduation dress a dark canvas to her stunning beauty. Hanna’s black textured bob was such a drastic change since our first year. She had let it grow out these two years, and then showed up this morning like this. “Hanna, your hair is stunning.”“I liked the long hair, but this feels like me.” She smiled and ruffled her hair. She slipped her graduation dress over her white sundress. “Can you believe it’s been almost three years? They said they would fast track us, but I didn’t actually think they would.”Toya came out of my room with her stunn
The silence that fell was charged. “That fucking douche canoe.” Toya and Wendy snapped to me and snorted. “You’re watching too much human reality TV again, Amy.” I flipped them off. “So you’re telling me that not only was he trying to get me to mate with him, he was trying to get me pregnant?”Wendy winced. “Well, we can’t make that jump.”Toya growled. “Why not?”Wendy slid her phone back into her pants. “Because while Brandon is a douche canoe, as Amy has pointed out, he wasn’t the one that grabbed the kudzu to beguin with. Morgan got it for your mom, Amy. He was trying to get your mom pregnant, so that is why he chose kudzu over another herb that can kick in a heat. But Brandon is…well he’s stupid. He is in my course and let’s say, if it wasn’t for his dad running the school, he would have failed business already.” Tina chuckled. “That doesn’t surprise me. Last time he pretended to know what he was doing, but I was the one investing the pack’s money to make sure we didn’t go ban
I looked up at Toya in the doorway, confused. “What?”She pointed to my leg. “You’re bleeding, and it hasn’t healed yet. Why aren’t you healing?” I looked down at my leg and saw the blood pouring from a minor cut. I furrowed my brow. “I don’t know.” I looked back at her and shrugged. “I was talking to my wolves and got distracted.” Now it was her turn to furrow her brow. “Get out so I can stop the bleeding.”I waved her off. “Give me a few minutes to finish and then I will come out.”“Amy, just come out now.”“Okay mom.” I rolled my eyes. “Out.” I pointed, and she shook her head as she closed the door. Pushy woman.I finished my shower, including finishing my shaving, and I got out. It was bleeding faster than I thought possible and I didn’t know why. I grabbed a towel and wrapped it around my leg and walked out, leaving a bloody footprint with every step.At least you have wood floors in here. Could you imagine the damage if it was carpet? Megan sighed as Nix choked out a laugh.“D
Seventy-two. The floor fell out from under my feet. “How could you face that alone for seventy-two times?”She sighed. “I didn’t have a choice.”“That doesn’t make sense.” I was grasping at straws. “That’s like…”“Once a month from your eighteenth birthday, when you met Brandon, until we became pregnant. It would have been more, but we made our pup on your birthday. So that year I only have the one.” She answered softly. “We were almost twenty-five when we died.”The truth hit me like a punch in the gut. She survived so many times, all alone in the forest. “I am so, so sorry.”She took a deep breath and stood. “They get easier. And I had my mates touch to temper the burn. You both just went through you first without any help other than me. I took the heat, so you had those few breaks to collect yourself.”I wrapped my arms around her. “You are the strongest wolf I have ever met.”She laughed. “You’re only saying that because I’m your wolf.”“No.” Nix came over and sat next to her. “Sh
The world stopped for a minute, and then my wolves were lunging for each other. I slipped on the tub, slicing my leg as I struggled to reach for them. I turned inwards, sending myself into my mind, chasing after my wolves. “Stop.” I called as I reached the carrier, but they were fighting each other, and they were vicious. I pushed through the separation and ran to my clearing, diving between the two, earning myself a few bites in the process before they realized I was there. “I said stop!” I screamed as both latched onto me, and then jumped back. “Amy!” both of them called as they realized, and I dropped to my knees. Blood poured from my shoulder and my hip where they bit. Nix circled. “You are so fricken stupid.” She licked the wound at my shoulder, the one higher up where she got me. The blood slowed and Megan stepped up, cleaning the wound on my hip. “I’m sorry I didn’t notice you jumped in.” Megan went back to cleaning the wound. “Don’t apologize.” Nix hissed. “She knows better
“Yeah, I think it’s time we do.” I grabbed the shampoo and start on my hair. “Obviously, this last week has been hell.” Both of her wolves agreed. Nix and Megan stumbled over to the clearing where my magic lived. Once they were close, they laid down, as if drawing strength from her center. We are tired. Megan sighed. This has been hell. Nix snorted and rolled her eyes. “Say what you need to say.” I rinse my hair and focused on my Lycan. “I know you have something to say.”She sighed. I like Rowan, we both do. She started and I could feel it. She was holding back. “Come on Nix. Just say what’s on your mind.”She took a deep breath. Okay. Fine. When we woke up after dying, we swore we would never allow another man to make us beg. We agreed we would push men to the side and focus on what matters. Nix stop. Megan shook her head. “No. It’s fine.” I shook my head. I took a giant glob on conditioner and threaded it through my curls. “We need to be open and honest with each other. Otherw